“It’s fair. I’m not blaming you.”
What does it mean that I blame myself? I don’t have a chance to say that, though, because there’s a beeping sound at my door—someone keying in the code—and it unlocks.
“Where are my boys?” Grandma calls, letting herself into the house and swinging the door closed.
Colby is up and around the corner immediately. “Grandma,” he says warmly, pulling her into a hug as though we haven’t gone to her house every day since he came home.
“Have you eaten?” I ask. “I can make something.”
“I’ve eaten.” Grandma turns steely eyes on me. “I’m worried that a certain friend of ours hasn’t. Should we go speak in the garage, Benny? Alone?”
“You mean America’s least favorite brunette?” Colby asks, heading back to the kitchen.
Grandma coughs in surprise.
“He knows,” I tell her. “It’s a Rhodes family secret. No one in the country—except the three of us—are aware of her location, as far as I know.”
Grandmatsks. “Her mother is probably worried sick.”
I won’t ruin the rest of the Belacourt family for Grandma, but I would find it more likely that Bree’s mom is annoyed by her disappearing act than worried about her safety. She’s not heartless, but she’s probably perfectly aware Bree is capable of taking care of herself and hiding from the world. “That’s none of our business.”
“Still, maybe I should head over and check on her.” Grandma glances at the back window where the ocean is shimmering blue in the distance. “Someone needs to watch out for that girl.”
We agree on that.
“Want us to join you?” Colby asks from the kitchen, his mouth full.
“You need a shower, Cole,” Grandma says. “I’ll do this on my own.”
She heads toward the door like a woman on a mission, which I’m slightly envious of. If Bree wanted me around, she would’ve responded to any of my texts. I’m not about to push myself on her, even if I need her help to finish the song.
Maybe she doesn’t want the song anymore. Her silence could be a message.
Unless she’s retreated so far from the world that she hasn’t seen her messages from me, either. Her phone could be dead by now. I would totally believe that she’s created a blanket fort for her and Captain Crunch and stayed inside for the last three days.
“Don’t worry,” Grandma says, patting my shoulder.
Am I that transparent? I clear my throat. “Let me know if I can do anything.”
“Shower.”
I’m not the one who’s stinking up my kitchen right now post-workout, but I smile, watching her scurry through my front door and close it behind her.
“Lovesick puppy,” Colby calls.
“Shut up.” I make my way back toward him and my cold breakfast.
He shovels more eggs into his mouth, grinning around his fork. “You just stood there and stared at the back of the door. I know you want to go check on her.”
“Maybe.”
“Then do it.”
I shoot him a look that tells him how ridiculous his blasé attitude is.
Colby shrugs. He takes his plate to the sink and proceeds to load the dishwasher. “I told Sierra I’d help with Jack’s practice this morning. Want to come? Remind everyone you can pitch a ball?”
It takes everything in me not to make a sarcastic comment about the wisdom of Colby spending time with Sierra, but I have the self-control to keep my mouth shut. He knows he’s stringing her along. There’s only so many times I can speak up.